Pier Pressure
by Kessie-Louise
Summary: In which Cryosphere cosplays as Bioshock's Bouncer Big Daddy, scares and douses Beck with gallons of water, and is then properly chastised by Pyrogen.


"Where did it go?!" Cryosphere questioned to herself as she dug through a small chest filled with various things she had forgotten about over the year. Except for this thing, she _never_ forgot about it when October came around. Even then, she normally had it out for sentimental reasons- the fact that she couldn't find it now was really starting to grade on her nerves.

"Cryosphere?" the familiar voice of Dr White said from behind her. "What are you doing?"

"'Water' you think I'm doing professor? I'm gettin' my costume ready!"

There was only one time when Cryosphere replaced her typical ice puns with general water based ones; In knowing that this was what she had planned again for this year's Halloween costume, the professor tried to suppress a groan.

"How about you pick a different costume this year…?" Dr White suggested with an awkward side smile.

"And give in the 'pier' pressure?" she answered in a tone that almost sounded genuinely shocked. "No way professor! It's tradition!"

"Cryo..." Dr White started to say, but shook his head. "I'll go warn Beck then..." the professor sighed. "Just don't over do it like last year, alright?"

"'Ice' make no promises!" came the happy reply. Dr White flinched, then quickly left to go find the youngest Mighty Number to warn him of Cryosphere's 'tradition'.

"Wait!" Mighty Number Two requested before he was out of earshot. Slowly, carefully, Dr White turned back around to face her.

"Yes?" he inquired, unsure of what she was getting at now.

"Have you seen my Little Sister?" Cryosphere asked the professor quite seriously. Dr White looked at her with a confused side glance.

"Dyna is..."

"Not her!" Cryo insisted with a frantic wave. "My Little Sister! You know, the little rag-dollie with short brown hair and the really pretty brown eyes?"

"You mean that Cabbage Patch doll you found at a flea market years ago?" Dr White questioned as he started to rub the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger.

"Yes!"

"Don't you usually keep it in your room?"

"Well, that's what I thought!" the Mighty Number agreed, placing her substitute-for-hands on her hips. She even tapped her foot impatiently with thought. "But she wasn't there. I'm thinkin' Dyna might've wanted her for something, and took her without asking."

"What would Mighty Number Three want with that old thing?" Dr White questioned sensibly.

"Don't know..." the Mighty Number mumbled. "Oh wait!" she then declared. "I know where she is now! Thanks professor!"

With that, the Mighty Number dashed out of the room, leaving Dr White behind in a bit of confusion.

"You're… welcome…?" was all he could mutter as he scratched the back of his head in bewilderment. Cryosphere didn't hear him as she rushed to the place where she had been preparing her costume. Sure enough, next to the temporary paint for her armor, was her 'Little Sister'.

Giddy, and beyond relieved to know the doll wasn't permanently missing, Mighty Number Two picked the doll up and gave it a kind squeeze.

"Don't ever give me a cold shoulder again!" Cryosphere informed the doll, still hugging it. "I thought you were gone for good!"

A few more moments of hugging the doll, the Mighty Number recomposed herself before placing the doll on top of her holding tank. There the doll remained rather stationary, allowing Cryosphere full access to prepare the rest of her costume. Humming, the Mighty Number worked diligently to bring her costume together -spray painting various parts of herself, outfitting her Little Sister in a cute little dress with a peter-pan collar and puffed sleeves, taking off her helmet with the intent to do very minor modifications to it- all while humming a rather familiar tune...

' _Somewhere, beyond the sea… Somewhere, waiting for me… My lover stands on golden sands, and watches the ships, that go sailing..._ '

"Now for the 'ice'-ing on the cake!" the bot eventually declared as she pulled her helmet around. She looked it over for a moment before deciding what she was going to do. A few more moments of alterations, the Mighty Number took a step back to appreciate her handy work before placing the helmet back on her head.

"Now then," she then declared, subconsciously making sure the Little Sister was still safely sitting on her tank, "Let's go search for angels Little Sister!"

Her doll, who certainly could not talk or respond otherwise, remained where it sat.

. . .

Cryo loved imitating a whale while scuffling her feet against the cold tiled floor. When she knew she was near another Mighty Number, she would stop in her tracks and spoke for the Little Sister in a tiny, higher pitched voice, "I smell an angel, Daddy…" in hopes that one of the other Mighty Numbers had heard her. She was able to locate Battalion first.

Going in for a jumpscare, Mighty Number Two crept up behind him.

"Call me a Leadhead Splicer once Cryo, and I'll petition to have Beck completely assimilate you." Battalion informed her without even looking back.

And with that, Mighty Number Two crept away without further instruction.

"Now where are we going to search for angels, Little Sister?" Mighty Number Two questioned her doll, having took it off her tank to look it in the eye. Then, in a brilliant stroke of thought faster than an underwater torpedo, Cryosphere let out an excited, "Beck!" before dashing in the direction of the youngest Mighty Number's room.

Meanwhile, while minding his own business, Mighty Number Nine felt a distinct crawl up his back. After Dr White's warning to him, it only meant one thing: Cryosphere was coming for him and there was nothing he could do about it.

Well… there was something he could do- it involved finding Pyrogen to ward off Cryosphere, but that also involved leaving the safety of his room with the ominous reminder that Number Two could be lurking behind. Beck shuttered- the creepiest part of Cryosphere's supposed 'tradition' was that doll she kept on top of her tank. It just stared, looking back at you with unblinking, painted eyes that felt practically malicious while being near Beck; the somewhat squashed vinyl head, with a permanently half-smiling face, didn't help much either. As far as Beck knew, Mighty Number Two had the thing in her possession far before he was even thought of, but that didn't improve his opinion on it.

Faintly, Beck thought he could hear her -coming seemingly from the vent ducts- singing in a low, eery voice…

"In the house of upside down, cellar's top floor- attic's ground."

"L-leave me alone Cryo!" Beck shouted out, assuming she could hear him. "I don't feel like playing!"

"In the house of upside down, laughing cries and smiles frown..." Cryosphere continued, sounding as if she was closer now. Beck looked around for her, but couldn't see her, and grew increasingly paranoid with each passing moment.

"Cryo! I-I mean it Cryo! I… I don't want to…!"

"In the house of upside down, found is lost and lost is _FOUND_!" Cryosphere screeched as she bounded on Beck from above. The youngest Mighty Number let out a terrified shriek of his own while frantically calling out for Pyrogen- all the while Mighty Number Two unmercifully doused Beck with water, cackling in the least of friendly ways.

"My appetite is 'wet' for ADAM! More! More!" Cryosphere cheered. "This angel is just 'doused' with ADAM, Mr Bubbles!"

"Cryosphere!" the stern snap of Pyrogen resonated through the room. "Beckan told you to _**stop**_!"

Immediately, Mighty Number Two whirled around to give her older brother a guilty look- she turned so quickly that her Little Sister fell off her tank. Beck, otherwise, started to mumble out a gracious barrage of thank-yous to the oldest Mighty Number.

For the longest time, the oldest Mighty Numbers stared at each other. Eventually, Pyrogen drew his attention to Cryo's Little Sister. "This thing really shouldn't be in water, Cryo..." he sighed as he went to pick the poor doll up. "It's vintage- it has a greater chance of falling apart."

"Don't torch her!" Cryosphere desperately plead, making Beck question for a moment whether she had attempted at a pun or was being serious.

"Why not?" Pyrogen questioned with a small raise of an eyebrow. "You were mean to Beck, why can't I be mean to you?"

"Because… 'cuz..." Mighty Number Two sputtered, but nothing was coming out. "I… I just want my Little Sister back Pyro!"

"You know Beck," Mighty Number One then addressed Number Nine as their sister wasn't with them, "Cryo's had this poor thing since the professor announced he was going to build Avi. She was so _mad_ to learn that he wouldn't make any more female Numbers, that she actually ran away. Took awhile to find her, and when we did, she had this thing in her arms and calling it her little sister..."

"I call her that because she looks like those little girls in that survival game!" Cryosphere argued as she attempted to reach for the doll- Pyrogen was taller than her, however, and just barely kept it out of her reach.

"You know," Pyrogen then lulled over, "You were built to balance _me_ out- but it's times like this where it feels the other way around."

"Give her ba-ack!" Cryo whined. Pyrogen gave his sister a less than amused glance, then focused on the doll. With a shake of his head, he tossed back at her.

"What do you need to say to Beck, Cryo?" Pyrogen then informed her sternly as his sister hugged the doll graciously.

"Sorry..." the second oldest Mighty Number muttered to the youngest. "I'll leave you alone for the rest of the season."

"Season?!" Beck exclaimed in shock and a bit of anger. Pyrogen didn't like this idea either.

"Fine, a year..." Cryosphere muttered as she started to leave. "Now if you'll excuse us, Little Sister and I still have angels to find."

"Don't spray the humans!" Pyrogen warned from behind her. It was too late though, as she was out of earshot to even care.


End file.
